I remember the first time I went to Italy with my husband.  I never, never, never, ever expected to go there.  It was 13 years ago.  We went on a wine trip -- he does sell fine wine -- and he was practicing Italian phrases on the airplane.  I asked him, "Why would you do that?   All you need are the basics, like where's the toilet, please, thank you.  English is the international language these days!"  He felt, obviously, that was the correct thing to do, to show the interest in the language of the land.  I had the interest, also, but no background whatsoever in the lovely, lyrical Italian language. 

I had once met a Soviet scientist - -when there was a U.S.S.R., I'm dating myself -- in an elevator at my workplace.  I worked with oceanographers and meteorologists and they were always having international meetings, projects, seminars.  I said hello to him in Russian, which I had studied in both junior and senior high school, many years before.  He responded with a bunch of words all run together, so rapidly -- I couldn't keep up with him!  THAT is why I asked my husband, why go beyond the very basics?  If you were going to converse in Italian, then the Italian person on the other end was going to talk back to you, and there was no way to keep up with him. 

So.....we landed in Rome, had our first adventure on the wild Italian highways, drove to Tuscany, got lost, asked directions in broken Italian, and, guess what happened!  The gentleman responded in incomprehensible Italian!  Somehow we managed to find our way to the Borgo, where we had reservations with the other wine folks, and, going over the hill, this is what I saw!  Tuscan Vista, in springtime! 

I cannot wait to go back!  Ciao!